Enhancement of the thermoacoustic effect

Abstract

A thermoacoustic device that includes a resonator, wherein the resonator includes a stack. During operation, a cold zone of the stack is configured to receive at least one fluid from a hot zone of the stack; wherein a temperature of the hot zone exceeds a temperature of the cold zone. The thermoacoustic device also includes a conveyor for conveying at least some of the at least one fluid from the cold zone of the stack to the hot zone of the stack.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A thermoacoustic device comprising:
 a resonator;   wherein the resonator comprises a stack;   wherein during operation, a cold zone of the stack is configured to receive at least one fluid from a hot zone of the stack; wherein a temperature of the hot zone exceeds a temperature of the cold zone; and   a conveyor for conveying at least some of the at least one fluid from the cold zone of the stack to the hot zone of the stack.   
     
     
         2 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid is an at least one phase changing fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 2 , wherein the conveyor is the stack. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 3 , wherein the stack comprises multiple stack structural elements that form multiple stack channels. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the stack structural elements are made from a porous material that comprises capillary conduits for conveying the at least some of the at least one phase changing fluid from the cold zone of the stack to the hot zone of the stack. 
     
     
         6 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 5 , wherein the porous material is cellulose. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the stack structural elements are shaped to form external capillary conduits for conveying the at least some of the at least one phase changing fluid from the cold zone of the stack to the hot zone of the stack. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one phase changing fluid is a mixture of phase changing fluids that have different boiling temperatures. 
     
     
         9 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the cold zone is lower than each one of the different boiling temperatures. 
     
     
         10 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the hot zone is higher than each one of the different boiling temperatures. 
     
     
         11 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the hot zone is lower than at least one of the different boiling temperatures. 
     
     
         12 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 8 , wherein the stack comprises multiple stack structural elements that form multiple stack channels. 
     
     
         13 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 3 , wherein the stack comprises multiple stack structural elements that form multiple stack channels wherein the multiple stack structural elements are undulating along a traverse direction that is oriented to a longitudinal axis of the stack. 
     
     
         14 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 2 , wherein the conveyor is an auxiliary phase changing fluid supplier. 
     
     
         15 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 14 , wherein the auxiliary phase changing fluid supplier comprises a collector for collecting phase changing fluid from the cold zone, a fluid conduit for conveying the phase changing fluid, and a wicking element for providing the phase changing fluid to the hot zone. 
     
     
         16 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 15 , wherein the fluid conduit is located outside the stack channels. 
     
     
         17 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary phase changing fluid supplier is a spraying element. 
     
     
         18 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 2 , wherein the stack comprises multiple stack structural elements that form multiple stack channels that are curved. 
     
     
         19 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 2 , wherein the stack comprises multiple stack structural elements wherein at least one of the multiple stack structural element is porous. 
     
     
         20 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 2 , wherein the stack comprises multiple stack structural elements wherein at least one of the multiple stack structural element is semi-permeable. 
     
     
         21 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid is at least one sorption inducing fluid. 
     
     
         22 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid is at least one hydrates formation inducing fluid. 
     
     
         23 . The thermoacoustic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid is at least one sublimation inducing fluid. 
     
     
         24 . A method of operating a thermoacoustic device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a cold zone of a stack of a resonator of a thermoacoustic device, at least one fluid from a hot zone of the stack; wherein a temperature of the hot zone exceeds a temperature of the cold zone; and   conveying, by a conveyor of the stack, at least some of the at least one fluid from the cold zone of the stack to the hot zone of the stack.   
     
     
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